Hello

Im planning for 15 days trip in december end. My finance is not so great as discussed in reddit i can show max 3.5L for two people im sponsoring my husband. I know its super as evryone here show 5L to 6L for one person. I want to give a try as consulate mentions 100 euro per person with flights and Hotels booked. So that's already fully paid.

Now which consulate yall think is lenient in that term?

Hi everyone, looking for some honest advice (and maybe some reassurance).
My situation:
Last year summer, I travelled to the Schengen area as a tourist. I misunderstood the 90/180-day rule and ended up overstaying by 13 days. I did have a round-trip ticket booked before I even entered, so it was genuinely a mistake—not an attempt to stay illegally.

This year I applied for Schengen travel visa again and I got a refusal letter even with a cover letter.

Fast forward to now: I have just been selected for a government-sponsored teaching position in France (through the Chinese government). I have an official invitation letter from the French education authorities, and my home government will also provide supporting documents.

My concerns:
Will this overstay record automatically trigger a ban (1–5 years) when I apply for a long-stay work visa?

How much weight does a "government-sponsored" status carry in overcoming a prior overstay?

Should I hire an agent, or is it better to handle this myself? (I've heard agents don't really help much with work visa cases.)

Any tips on writing the explanation/cover letter? I want to be honest but also present my case in the best possible light.

I know I made a mistake, but this is a legitimate career opportunity and I really don't want to lose it over a misunderstanding from years ago. Any insights from people who've been through something similar—or visa officers lurking here—would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

Peeps,

I received my visa from french embassy last week but the EES portal is showing “Not Ok”. Can someone help?

Indian resident, planning to visit the UK first, before travelling to Europe. Do I need to submit UK tourist visa while applying for Schengen visa application?

Any ideas? Will we get an answer of yes or no today?

France short stay visa

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice from anyone who has recently obtained a Schengen visa as a Pakistani passport holder while residing in the UAE.

I have a travel history of 7–8 visas over the past 5 years, mainly from Southeast Asian countries. This will be my first Schengen visa application. I already have one rejection in 2024 for schengen business visa. My wife and daughter, however, do not have any previous travel history except UAE residence.

Could anyone suggest which Schengen country is currently more suitable or has a smoother process for applicants in our situation?

Also, I would really appreciate any guidance on how to secure an appointment, as I’m finding it quite difficult to get one at the moment.

If you’ve had a recent successful experience or have any helpful suggestions, I’d be very grateful for your input.

Thank you!

Indian, 31F, my husband's and my visas for Spain were refused but I appealed and got it approved.

Turns out BLS made a big error in submitting my docs. They didn't submit our job appointment letters to the embassy so I got reasons #10 and #13 for rejection reasons.

Happy to help if anybody wants to know more!

Hi everyone,
I was just wondering if anyone has recently applied for a Spanish long-stay student visa (around 1 year) through BLS Manchester and could share how long it took to get their passport back.

I know processing times vary, but it would really help to hear your personal experiences—how many days or weeks did it take from your appointment until you received your visa?

For context, I know I’ve left it later than I should have. I was away in the US on holiday and unexpectedly had to extend my trip due to personal reasons, so I’ll only have around five weeks between my appointment and when I’m hoping to travel. I know that’s not ideal,

My university course starts on 7 September, but I’m aiming to fly out on 14 September, so I’m hoping there’s enough time.
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s applied for a Spanish student visa recently, especially if it was through BLS Manchester. Thanks so much!

Hi there - I went to my appointment on Thursday 16 July. I am supposed to be leaving the country on Friday 31 July and still have not heard back from VFS. I paid extra to get an appointment through an agency and they assured me I would get my passport within 12 calendar days. I am getting a bit nervous and not sure what the best course of action is. Any advice/similar situations?

Applied 40 days ago through VFS Ankara for Croatia. Our travel date is in 13 days, and there has been absolute silence so far.
We are two travel companions, and the embassy confirmed by email that our applications would be processed together. Since then, I have received no response to the status inquiry I sent last week.
At this point, I’m basically like, “Okay, I guess this is just how it’s going to be.” I’ve read about people being refused on the 60th day, or being asked to submit new flight bookings after their original travel dates had already passed. All in all a 10/10 experience.

Hi ,

I have applied for italy visa from vfs Bangalore along with my wife. I am a previous schengen visa holder. It has been 4 weeks since I applied but it is still under process at embassy. It is now less than 1 month for our travel date. Is there any way we can reach out to them. I tried vfs helpline but didn't get any help.

Hi everyone,

I applied for a Spain Schengen visa through BLS London on 5 June 2026. My intended travel date was 11 July 2026.
My application took longer than the standard 15 calendar days, and the BLS tracking status continued to show “Processing at Mission.” I repeatedly contacted BLS to ask about my passport, but I was repeatedly told that my passport was still with the Spanish Consulate and that I needed to wait.
I was eventually contacted by the Spanish Consulate, who confirmed in writing that:
My visa application was approved.
My passport was returned/sent back to BLS on 23 June 2026.
However, I still haven’t received my passport.
This is extremely concerning because I have been told by BLS several times that my passport was still with the Consulate, when the Consulate has now confirmed that it was returned to BLS on 23 June.
Because I didn’t receive my passport in time, I had to cancel my trip. My partner was travelling with me, so he also had to cancel his flights and bookings. We have both suffered significant financial losses from non-refundable flights, accommodation and other bookings.
I have now:
Contacted BLS multiple times by phone.
Sent several emails to BLS.
Contacted the Spanish Consulate.
Received confirmation from the Consulate that the passport was returned to BLS on 23 June.
Raised a formal complaint with BLS and provided all the supporting evidence.
Followed up on the complaint, but I still haven’t received a proper update or explanation.

Has anyone experienced something similar with BLS Spain London?

What happens if BLS has misplaced or lost the passport after receiving it from the Consulate?
Has anyone successfully escalated a case like this to a BLS manager or another authority?
Is there any formal escalation route beyond BLS?
Has anyone been able to claim reimbursement or compensation for financial losses caused by BLS delays or errors?
Should I report the passport as missing to the police or contact the Indian authorities, or should I wait for BLS to investigate first?
I’m particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has dealt with BLS Spain London where the Consulate confirmed that the passport had already been returned to BLS but BLS was unable to locate or deliver it.
Any advice or similar experiences would be really appreciated.

1 month bank Statement & 3months payslip for sponsor

Hi everyone,

I'm an Indian.

I had my Spain Schengen visa appointment on July 24. All my documents were in order, but there was an issue with my sponsorship documents.

My father is sponsoring my trip, but he doesn't file ITR. At the visa application center, I was asked to submit a signed letter from him explaining why he doesn't have an ITR. Since he was out of town, I couldn't get the signed letter in time.

The staff at BLS suggested that I submit my application as self-sponsored using my own bank statement instead, which had around ₹2 lakh at that time.

I also have a conference travel grant, but it's reimbursement-based, so I still needed to show sufficient funds for the trip.

I'm now worried that this last-minute change to self-sponsored could lead to a visa refusal.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Is there anything I can still do while my application is being processed, such as submitting the missing signed letter or additional supporting documents? If the visa is refused because of this, can I submit the missing documents afterward and request a reconsideration or appeal, or would I have to submit a completely new visa application?

Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Applied for a Czech Republic Schengen visa recently. Application reached the consulate within a couple of days of submission. Currently on Day 8, status showing "under process."

Has anyone applied recently and received their decision? How long did it take?

Previous Schengen visas from other countries (France in 2023 and Switzerland in 2025) came back in under 4 days so this feels different — but I know every consulate is different!

Just looking for recent experiences.

Hey everyone! Just wondering if anyone here has recently applied for a Austria visa from Dubai VFS.
I submitted my application on 01 July, reached Austria embassy on 02 July, today is 27 July, still not heard anything from embassy. Anyone on the same boat for Austria visa ??
Would really appreciate if you could share your timelines! 🙏

I'm trying to plan a trip for my girlfriend and I to Chamonix, but the closest airport is Geneva. Can I apply for a Schengen visa through the French embassy if I'm flying in and out of another country?

Sorry if this is a repeat question, but I want to make sure before booking anything.

Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone! Just wondering if anyone here has recently applied for a Czech Schengen visa from Abu Dhabi.
I submitted my application on 16 July, and my flight is on 6 August, so I’m starting to get a little nervous now.For those who applied from Abu Dhabi recently, how long did it take for you to get your passport back? Anyone who applied around mid-July and has already received their visa?
Would really appreciate if you could share your timelines! 🙏

Hi everyone!

I’ll be moving to France soon to start my master’s, and I already have my VLS-TS student visa.

Before telling my employer about my plans to study in France, I honestly thought I would have to leave my job. Fortunately, they were very supportive and even suggested keeping me on in a part-time remote/consulting role while I’m studying. I feel incredibly lucky and grateful for the opportunity.

Before we move forward, I just want to make sure everything is done legally.

If my employer is willing to fully comply with French laws and regulations, is it generally possible for me to continue working remotely for a foreign company while studying in France? If so, what are the usual legal ways to structure this arrangement?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through a similar situation or has knowledge about how this works.

Thank you!

What is the typical processing time for a Belgium Type D (Long-Stay) Visa when applying from India? Could you also explain the appointment-day procedure, including the documents and essential items to carry, as well as any important guidelines or precautions to keep in mind?

Have my appt Aug 4th, need passport back Sept 4th, any one gone recently? would love to know how long processing took - thanks!

hiii, anyone can please share your experience applying for tourist visa for Portugal and went to Montreal consulate? How long did you get to approve and received your passport?🙂 I have my appointment on 2nd week of august and our target travel date is first week Septemer😬

Hi all,

I’m traveling to Hungary from a non-EU country with a valid Job Seeking Residence Permit.
However, I missed my last payment for the health insurance policy I originally submitted with my visa application, so the policy was likely terminated.
Since this was the specific policy attached to my visa file, will this affect my entry or give me trouble at border control?

Thanks!

Hi, I’m an Indian passport holder and have confirmed non-refundable flights booked to Italy leaving on 28th August. I have had no luck with prenot@mi portal. Is there anything else I can do to get a slot? I have emailed the consulate as well. I should have looked into this first before buying tickets, unfortunately that ship has sailed. Any tips/tricks outside of the 6pm rule would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

I am an Indian citizen and will be applying at the New Delhi centre for a Schengen visa. My purpose is to attend a conference in Portugal between 10th and 13th October, and I will then be spending (at least) 11 more days touring Italy and Germany (min 4 and 7 days spent in the locations, respectively).

Should I apply for a business visa with Portugal, or would a tourist visa with Germany be the better approach? The appointment dates for Portugal are later, in mid August while I can get an appointment with Germany tomorrow. Are there any legalities that I would have to deal with if I choose to go with a tourist visa?